Prisoner of Love
by Cullen Cousin
Summary: Thirteen years in prison can have a toll on a long-distance relationship. Especially if one party believes that feelings have changed for one of them. O/S, AH, JxEs, FAGE 6 Gift written for Babypups Whitlock.


**FAGE 6 Pack**

**Title: Prisoner of Love**

**Written for: Babypups Whitlock**

**Written By: Cullen Cousin**

**Rating: T**

**Summary: Thirteen years in prison can have a toll on a long-distance relationship. Especially if one party believes that feelings have changed for one of them.**

**Prompt used: Lyrics prompt "Set The Fire To The Third Bar" ~ Snow Patrol w/ Martha Wainwright.**

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**community/FAGE-6-pack/93625/**

**Disclaimer: As usual, all Twilight characters belong to SM...But the story belongs to me.**

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**Prisoner of Love**

A variant of parole is known as "time off for good behavior", or, colloquially, "good time". Unlike the traditional form of parole – which may be granted or denied at the discretion of a parole board – time off for good behavior is automatic absent of a certain number or (gravity) of infractions committed by a convict while incarcerated (in most jurisdictions the released inmate is placed under the supervision of a parole officer for a certain amount of time after being so released). In some cases "good time" can reduce the original sentence by as much as one-third. It is usually not made available to inmates serving life sentences, as there is no release date that can be moved up.

– Wikipidia

Jasper Whitlock was in the midst of serving a 20 year prison term at Washington State Corrections Center in Walla Walla for aiding and abetting in an armed bank robbery in Forks. Due to extenuating circumstances and some very bad luck on his part and the other guy that was involved with the crime, this was the best deal he was able to cut with the District Attorney.

He was hoping at the beginning of his term to get sent to the Clallam Bay Corrections Center which would have been closer to home, but at the sentencing, the judge thought different. But sometimes things just don't work the way you want them to.

It was difficult at times to keep his nose clean for the first couple of years he was there, but that is what usually happens to one in his situation. He never went looking for trouble, trouble always seemed to find him. What got him in trouble the most, was his pretty boy, All-American looks (blonde hair, blue eyes) and the fact that he kept to himself. And because of that, several of the other inmates insinuated on several occasions that he batted for the other team and they would try to score a run. When they found out that he didn't want to play their kind of ball game, he found himself on the receiving end of several fights which he would never start but try to finish.

When you serve enough time, you will eventually go through several cellmates, as they come and go either from being transferred within, to a different facility or released on parole. Jasper got along with them for the most part, considering the two-man cell was not very big and you have a tendency to get into each others space. With some, this could cause major problems when personalities clashed, which was most of the time.

His current cellmate was a God send, as far as Jasper was concerned and he hoped this one would stay around a while longer than the other ones had. This one he really liked, Emmett McCarty. McCarty was serving time, again, for several assorted offenses. He was a bruiser of a man covered in tats and he didn't take shit from anyone. At the same time, could be a big ol' teddy bear when he wanted to be. Looking at him though, you wouldn't have guessed that, cause just looking at him the wrong way and you could find yourself in a body bag. If he liked you you were considered his friend and he would come to your defense and do anything for you. Now if he didn't like you... Let's just leave it at that.

"Damn, I hate this place," he spoke out loud as he laid there on his bunk...if you can call a slab of hard concrete and thin mattress pad that.

"Amen to that, Brother," McCarty said with a chuckle.

It had been 4,867 days since Jasper was sent to this miserable place, (Yes, he kept track of the days), he was two-thirds of the way through his sentence. He was hoping to hear from the Parole Board to see if he was eligible for early release. He had tried before earlier in his term, but he was denied parole. They told him he had too many violations due to the fights that he was involved in and the only way they would even consider granting an early release was that he needed to stay out of trouble in order so show good behavior.

It was soon after, he managed to get a job in the prison laundry. Not only did it give him a few dollars on the books for the canteen, it also looked good on his application for early release, it kept him away from the ones that bullied him when McCarty wasn't around.

Tired of watching the paint peel off the wall beside his bunk, Jasper reached for one of his paperbacks on the Civil War. Carefully as to keep from damaging it, he pulled out a dog-eared picture that was tucked away inside. You could see the love that poured out of the hazel eyes of the caramel-haired woman in the picture. It was all he could do to keep from crying as he stared back at his fiance, Esme Platt. He missed her something awful. It didn't help, that Jasper had just proposed to her, not even two weeks before his life when to hell in a hand basket. Esme told him that she would promise with all her heart to wait for him no matter how long it took for him to come back home to her. That She didn't have the means to come visit him since she still lived in Forks and they tried their best to keep in contact with letters and the very few collect phone calls he was able to make. They both knew that a long distant relationship of this type may not work for the better.

Lately, Jasper had started to really notice that something was going horribly wrong with their relationship. First he noticed that every time he tried to call her, she would answer, but she always seemed to be in a hurry to get off the phone; then it was the letters. He had noticed that for the last few months or so, her letters had been coming less frequently and from her usual multi-paged novels, they were now more like post-it notes. And the last one he received from her was little over two months ago. She said in her letters that she still loved him and wanted to get married when he got out. Though deep in his heart, he just knew something was wrong.

Dwelling over the idea that he may not have a relationship anymore with the love of his life, he let out a big sigh.

"Dude," McCarty said has he hung his head over the side of his bunk to look at Jasper upside-down. "You just might as well accept the fact that she dumped your ass."

Jasper glanced up at him then looked back down at the book as he tucked the photo back away. "You just don't understand." He couldn't believe that his sweet Esme would dump him without a word.

"What is there to understand, she hardly writes to you anymore and when was the last time you actually got to talk to her?" McCarty asked.

Now that was a good question, when was the last time? He could not honestly answer that. "That's irreverent, just because she doesn't answer, when I call, doesn't mean anything. She is probably doing her job; it does take her out ouf town sometimes and she doesn't tell me about every job she gets."

His cellmate just gave him a skeptical look. "Admit it, Whitlock, she doesn't want you any more and has decided to fly the coop."

That was Jasper's problem, he didn't want to admit that McCarty was probably right. She didn't love him any more and was tired of waiting. He even told her in the last letter that he mailed her two weeks ago that he applied to early release and hoped that if he got it, that she would be able to come and get him.

The more Jasper thought about McCarty's words, the more he started to believe it. His heart started breaking into a million pieces. It was too much for him, he just rolled over and buried his face into his pillow, letting his tears flow freely, not caring if his celly heard him or not.

Seeing his friend breakdown, McCarty slid off his bunk and sat down beside Jasper. "I'm sorry Jasper," the big lug with a soft heart said as he rubbed his buddy's back to try and calm him down. "I didn't mean to upset you. I know how much you loved her, I hear you talk about her in your sleep every night, telling her that you will be home soon."

Jasper mumbled something between sobs into his pillow, that McCarty could not understand and decided it was best to not make him repeat it.

"Isn't it better to figure it out now, then to go home only to find out, that she moved on to some else?" McCarty asked softly.

The blond man sat up and wiped at the tears that were falling. "Y-Yeah, I guess your right about that, but the thought of it all still hurts just as much. I thought we were soul mates and were destined to be together for all eternity." He got up and made his way to the sink, leaving McCarty sitting there.

Looking into the small piece of reflective material that was supposed to pass as a mirror, Jasper took a good look at himself. his normally clean shaven face had a good lay of stubble and his hear was a disaster. His eyes looked empty and lost.

"God, I look like shit," he comment to no one in particular. It seemed to break the tension in the air, though.

McCarty just out loud at him, "I could have told you that, Whitlock. You always look lbike shit!

"Oh... bite me, McCarty!" Jasper told him without turning around.

Al that did was make his cell mate laugh some more.

It didn't take Jasper long to clean himself up the best he could. He shaved, combed his hair and gave himself a 'whore's bath' in the sink. Doing all of that, made himself fill a little better and it was a good thing he did.

It was only a couple hours later that one of the guards came to the door.

"Hey Whitlock," the guard called him.

He was glad to see it was one of the nicer guards, E. Masen, he started about the same time Jasper arrived. There was one guard though, that disturbed him greatly, J. Hunter. Hunter had only been working at the prison for about a year and acted like he owned it. He always looked at Jasper like he was a piece of meat and wanted to eat him or something. It always made him feel uncomfortable.

"What's up, Masen?" Jasper asked.

"Did you forget you had a parole meeting with Warden Cullen and the parole board today?"

"Is that today? I thought it hadn't been scheduled yet, I didn't receive any paperwork regarding the meeting yet," replied Jasper as he rushed about the cell.

Masen shook his head in disgust. "I think I know what happened there and I'm getting tired of it." This wasn't the first time Masen had come to get a prisoner for a meeting, only to find out they hadn't been notified of it and it always seem to happen in this cell block. Masen just knew who was behind all of this, He had heard Hunter brag one day to some of the other guards in the break room, that he didn't bother delivering the prisoner's mail half the time or if he picked mail up to be sent, he never turned it in most of the time. Cause as far as he was concerned, why should they get the privilege of having mail or sending it, this is a place of punishment, not a vacation resort. Hunter had been reprimanded before and was working on thin ice. Masen had a feeling that today was Hunter's unlucky day and that he wouldn't be working for very much longer.

"When is the meeting?" he asked the guard.

"Like, we have to go now," Masen answered him.

Jasper grabbed his orange scrub top and threw it on. He backed up to the door and stuck both of his wrists out behind him to allow Masen to handcuff him.

Walking fast with the guard to get to the meeting, Jasper grinned when he heard McCarty hollering good luck at him.

As they got closer, Jasper started to feel a bit uneasy, as he remembered the last time he met with the parole board. They were very formal and sort of on the snotty side. He just hoped that it wasn't the same people as last time, so it would be like a clean slate and be given a fair chance.

Masen opened the door to the small conference and guided a nervous Jasper towards the panel shutting the door behind them.

Jasper noticed it was a different group of three than from last time, even Warden Carlisle Cullen was in attendance. Introductions were given and Jasper apologized for his lateness, explaining that he had not received notice of the meeting. Cullen looked over at the guard and Masen nodded in agreement to Jasper's telling of the event and then asked to speak with him privately later.

And with that, the inquisition began...

There was definitely a bounce in Whitlock's step as he was escorted back to the cell. He would be a free man in about two weeks time! He wasn't even in the cell good before McCarty started congratulating him and asking how it all went down.

He answered his questions and as he did, he couldn't keep the grin of his face, he was flying high and nothing could bring him down, or so he though. It dawned on him, that he had to get a hold of Esme somehow. Since he did try to call her much earlier in the day before this all happened, he decided to sit and write one final letter from prison to her.

_My dearest Esme,_

_I have the most wonderful news to share you my darlin', I just got the Good Time release that we have been praying for! I do hope you will be able to come pick me up in two weeks, I will be looking forward to seeing you, kissing you, and being able to hold you in my arms again! There not a day that goes by when I don't think or dream about you; you are my everything, soulmate. _

_I've enclosed a copy of my release info so you will know what time to be here. I just can't believe I finally get to leave this place and be back where I belong.. in your arms._

_I need to get this letter mailed, for the faster I do it, the faster I will see you!_

_Your lovin' Jasper_

_Two weeks later..._

Jasper was a free man, at least free from behind bars, but there was still parole to be dealt with. That was the least of his worries at the moment. As he made his way out the main gate in a pair of sweats that the prison had given him since he didn't fit the clothes he came in with, a clear garbage bag with what few possessions he wanted to take with him and the $250 in hand that the prison system customarily gave to the exiting prisoners; he looked for his beloved Esme.

She was nowhere in sight. He sat for quite awhile as others who were released at the same time found their rides.

'_Maybe she's just running late for some reason_,' he thought to himself. Time passed and several hours later she still hadn't shown up. Now he was worried. I looked like McCarty was right all along. What if she really didn't want him any more? He was supposed to go home to her house, at least that's what the told the parole board. He didn't know what to do.

He looked around for a pay phone and didn't see one and he was afraid to go to the guard hut, just in case they changed their mind about his parole. He remember when he came here, that this prison was really out in the middle of nowhere and it was going to be a long walk into the nearest town. Jasper just hoped they had a bus depot there.

Jasper had made it about three miles down the road when he heard a car slow down and pull up beside him. It was a silver Volvo with tinted windows. The passenger side widow rolled down and to his surprise, Masen was behind the wheel.

"Whitlock? What are you doing? Your not really supposed to be walking, where's your ride?" Masen fired off questions at him.

With a sigh Jasper answered as truthfully as he could, "Esme never showed up. I'm guessing that she didn't want me anymore and ignored my letter that I was getting out. So, I'm doing the only thing I could think of, walk to the nearest town and find a bus out of town." Tears were starting to form in his eyes has he finished.

Masen sat there for a moment and look around, "Get in. I'll give you a ride to town."

"I don't know," Jasper said as he wiped his eyes, "I don't want you to loose your job. I mean, are you supposed to give prisoner's rides?"

He grin at him, "Not really, but I think an exception can be made, this time."

Hesitantly, Jasper got in, "Thank you, Masen. I wasn't really looking forward to that walk."

Masen just laughed. "Well, I am off the clock and technically you are not my charge any more, just call me Edward."

"Okay, if you will call me Jasper," he countered with a laugh of his own.

The two talked all the way into town and up to the bus stop. Edward said he really had nothing better to do and offered to stay with him to the bus heading north came.

As the last bus of the day pulled in, Jasper thanked Edward again for his help that afternoon. They shook hands and Edward wished him the best and Jasper boarded the bus with his bag in hand.

Couple of bus transfers and a short layover at one of the stops along the way, he had finally made it to Fork's city limits the next morning. During the whole trip there, he still wasn't sure if he should go on to the house or not. Biting the bullet, he boarded one of the city buses that he knew that stopped right by Esme's house.

It was Jasper's luck as usually, that he knew a couple of the riders on board and it didn't help his nerves with the loathing looks he got from them. Although a few of them welcomed him home and asked if he was staying around. He could see that he was going to have a time of it. It helped to calm his nerves a bit, that the driver had radio on and he could concentrate on that. It started playing an old Tony Orlando song and he caught himself singing along quietly with.

"_I'm comin' home, I've done my time/Now I've got to know what is and isn't mine/If you receive my letter, tellin' you I'd soon be free/Then you'll know just what to do, if you still want me/If you still want me._

_Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree/it's been 3 long years, do you still want me/If I don't see a ribbon 'round the old oak tree/I'll stay on the bus/Forget about us/Put the blame on me/If I don't see a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree._

_Bus driver, please look for me/'Cause I couldn't bear to see what I might see/I'm really still in prison, and my love she holds the key/A simple yellow ribbon is what I need to set me free/I wrote and told her please:_

_Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree/it's been 3 long years, do you still want me/If I don't see a ribbon 'round the old oak tree/I'll stay on the bus/Forget about us/Put the blame on me/If I don't see a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree._

_Now the hole damn bus is cheering/and I can't believe what I see/A hundred yellow ribbons 'round the old oak tree._

The song was a bit ironc, considering it was exacting what he was feeling.

A few moment's later, the bus turned on the road that lead to the house he was seeking. He had closed his eyes for a moment, then he heard a big commotion and looked up just as the other riders were point out the window.

The poor boy just about passed out! There in front of the house, was a big banner strung across two of the pine trees in the yard procaming in big bold letters..."WELCOME HOME, JASPER!" The yard was fill with red paper hearts. It was the most beautiful thing he saw

The bus pulled over to the side and the driver opened the door. With a big grin. Jasper just sat there for a moment, stunned by what he saw. Slowly he stood up and made his way off the bus, with lots of back pounding from the other riders.

He had only made it halfway up the walk, when the door opened... And there she stood. Jasper dropped his bag and opened his arms up wide as his beautiful caramel-haired love of his life, came running full force into him.

It looked like a scene out of an old war movie of when the soldier comes off the ship into the arms of a loved one. They stood there motionless, arms enveloped around each other tightly, lips going from a sweet welcome home kiss to a fight for dominance.

Between the kisses, words of love and reasurrances were whispered and the tears flowed down both of their faces. Reaching up, he cupped Esme's face and wiped at her tears with the pads of his tumbs. Not a word was said at the moment, they had time for that. He just pulled her face back to his and kissed her tenderly.

It took him a few minutes to realize that the bus was still there and a crowd of well wishers had gathered. Jasper decided to quit giving the neighbors a show, he just wanted to be alone with her. He picked up his bag and wrapped his arm around her as they made their way into the house.

He droped his bag by the door and pulled Esme over to the couch. "Oh, darlin'," Jasper grabs her hands, "I was beginning to think that you didn't love me any more. I mean, you never answered when I called or wrote me back very often." Tears were pooling in his eyes as he spoke and then when I wrote you I would be getting out an' for you to come pick me up," the tears were falling down his cheeks. "W..When you didn' show, I though you really didn't want me back, that I wasn't forgiven." He couldn't look in her eyes any more, afraid to see the pity might find.

Esme pulled her hands out of his and cupped his face, bringing his eyes back inline with hers. She looked back at him with nothing but love in her eyes. "Sweetheart, I never abandoned you! I wrote you all the time, didn't you get my letters? I wrote to you at least one a week."

He wiped his face with his sleeve, "In the beginning, I got them all the time but this past year, I got less and less. So... I started to assume that it was over and you were breaking up with me."

"Heaven's no, I told you, that you were it for me and that I would wait for you no matter how long it took. I knew you were innocent in all of that mess. It was just a matter of time before they figured it out and granted you a pardon or at the very least, give you and early parole." She leaned over and kissed him.

Jasper pulled her into his lap, he just wanted to be closer to her, "You don't know how happy I am to hear that," he kissed her deeply.

"I love you so much, Jasper Whitlock," she mumbled against his neck were she had tucked her face.

"I love you too, darlin', but can you answer one thing for me?" he asked, kissing the top of her head. "Why didn't you come and pick me up? I'm not mad or anything, just curious as to why?"

"I had just gotten back yesterday morning, after a month long interior design job back east. And I didn't get a chance to look at the mail until sometime in the after noon. But by then, it was to late to go get you. So I called the prison and talked to Warden Cullen, explaining my situation to him. He told me that the last prison bus to town had already left hours ago and the only way for him to get to town would be to walk. He told me not to worry, that he would make sure he got to town and on the last bus north.

"Warden Cullen called me back a while later, t otell me that one of his most trusted guards had picked you up and took you to town and that you probably wouldn't get here until morning," Esme when on to tell him about already having the sign and made from the first time he went before the parole and hung it up right after she got of the phone with the Warden.

They sat there and talked some more and had a small makeout session until Jasper was about to fall asleep. He hadn't slept on the bus ride here because of his nerves of not knowing what was going to happen when he got there.

Esme got up off his lap and tugged his hand to get him to stand up and led him to her bedroom. Striping him of his clothes she got him into bed and crawled in beside him. He pulled her to him and held her tight, afraid that if he let her go, she would dissappear. It was no time before they both fell into a blissfull sleep. Both dreaming of finally getting married and raising a family just like in the plans from long ago.

The good Lord protects the innocent and gives a hand when needed. He sent three angels to Jasper to help pick him up in his time of need, when he was miles away from the one he loved and longed to return to.

_I'm miles from where you are_

_I lay down on the cold ground And I,_

_I pray that something picks me up_

_And sets me down in you warm arms_

_After I have traveled so far We'd set the fire to the third bar_

_We'd share each other like an island_

_Until exhausted, close our eyelids_

_Set Fire to the Third Bar, Snow Patrol ft. Martha Wainwright_

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**A/N: Well there you Pups, I hope I did it justice. When you are not familiar with the song or artist, it sure makes it a challenge to write. I do want to thank you for your patiences we me into getting this story to you way after the deadline had past. **


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